Do Not Forget What We Cannot Forgive
by KenshinOro730
Summary: Battousai is an assassin with an abusive past. Kaoru is the only daughter of a highly positioned man. When Battousai's next mission is to kidnap her, will he fall in love as well? Or will his past tear them apart before they can even begin?


**Do Not Forget What We Cannot Forgive**

_By Harley-chan_

Chapter One: The Assassin

The night was dark. To say that was an understatement. It was the night of the new moon, so no light source could be seen from the midnight sky, and not even stars twinkled through a mass army of charcoal-tinted clouds. Only the slight whistle of the wind snaking through the long field grasses was heard as a figure silently crept towards his destination. The briskly chilly and refreshing breeze ruffled his fiery red hair, whipping long bangs before his molten gold eyes. He walked with a stiff grace and awareness that surpassed any apparition, yet his eyes never wandered. They remained dutifully trained on the entrance to a nearby house that seemed rather plain and abandoned. Narrowing his eyes slightly as shadows stirred, he spoke in a tone that was so monotonous and quiet that it would send shivers down any normal man's spine. "So you are the one known as Rokotsu." It was not a question.

A light chuckle drifted airily from the shadows as Rokotsu revealed himself. Though little could be seen of him in the scarce light, he was of a tall and wide build. "You certainly do get right to the point, Battousai." He turned, and Battousai's light grip on his sword tensed. "Come. We've been expecting you." With that, he slid into the clasp of darkness once more. Battousai didn't seem frightened whatsoever by the chilling greeting, but his eyes calculated the circumstances suspiciously. His eyes swirled with red and bronze before dying down to their original, shielded, gold. With cat-like stealth, Battousai allowed the shadows to consume him as well, even the brightness of his crimson ponytail encased in never-ending black.

He could feel the presence of at least five other men, and by reading their ki's he was able to determine they were all assassins. Just like him. They stood in a circle of shadows, none able to see anywhere near them, yet sensing them. Nothing moved, and not even the breeze reached the confines of the Shadows. Battousai was used to this heavy silence, and had even come to enjoy it, as much as he could enjoy anything.

"Ah, so you have all made it. Wonderful." A new ki became apparent as a silky voice broke the nothingness of the group. "I assume you each know why you were called. This mission will be quick, clean, and above all, silent. No one may know of their absence until the next day. Is that clear?" The voice, though still as soft and velvety as before, held an unspoken threat as he uttered the last sentence. He didn't need an answer to know it was. These were the best of the best, and if he believed in ghosts, these six men would have been accused of being specters long ago. Why else would these assassins be nicknames Shadows? "Meet at The Spot when you have captured your assignment. Go." At that signal, they dispersed.

Battousai ran, using his god-like speed to navigate lightly upon the ground, the grass barely swaying in his wake. As the modest home came into view, he almost snorted in the obviousness of it all. They probably thought they were so intelligent, hiding her in a completely normal little cottage, in a completely normal little town. They should have known he would discover that this way-to-normal cottage was her temporary residence. When he was about twenty feet from the home, Battousai did a small jump and landed noiselessly back in the same spot. If anyone had seen him, they would be tempted to laugh at the almost ballerina-like move, but another assassin would know the genius of the jump. By doing that simple thing, Battousai had avoided the skidding noise that stopping at such speed would have surely caused. Walking with a patient and casual quiet towards the cottage, he philosophized what he was to these people who waited unknowingly in the hut, most likely deep in slumber.

Of course, most knew him as Battousai, the great manslayer. But most towns seemed to dub him by another name, depending on which crime he seemed to inflict upon them. Some called him 'Ikatsui Karite', or Grim Reaper. To a small town near Kyoto, he was 'Kumori Neko', or Shadow Cat, due to the legend that he moved with cat-like agility and grace, which was helped by the last thing a victim saw before death. Piercing yellow cat eyes peering from the darkness. But, by almost everyone in Tokyo and beyond, he was known alternatively as Tenchuu. Heaven's punishment. The townsfolk whispered rumors of how he was a fallen demon who is being given redemption by executing those who have wronged God. The rumors made him bitter with resentment. These people knew nothing.

Shaking his head slightly in frustration, Battousai resurfaced from his thoughts and cursed his unnecessary actions. No assassin did something so foolish while on a mission. Movements were an enemy, and it was best to make as little as possible, for people can see when shadows move. He had reached the sliding door of the house, and his breathing lowered to a precisely calculated pace. Quiet enough not to be noticed, yet loud enough to not cause the feeling of unnatural stillness and suspicion. Leaning an ear towards the door, he heard the steady, slow breathing of eight people. Two guardians, the girl, and five guards. Easy. Unsheathing his sword, Battousai slashed through the screen and leapt through, killing three of the waking guards before they could fully open their eyes. The fourth was an easy job as well, though the fifth put a little more fight before closing his eyes in eternal rest. The two guardian women were covering their mistress' eyes as they pushed her behind them.

"Step aside and I shall spare your life." One of the servants' eyes flickered to the door hesitantly and she bit her lip as logic debated with duty. "Go. You know I will take her should you die or not." The maid now had tears trailing down her face.

"Forgive me, Miss!" She sobbed, scrambling up and out into the dark night. Battousai stared at the other woman, who still had her eyes squeezed shut tightly as she stood before her ward.

"You will have to kill me, for I refuse to leave!" She said bravely, prepared to die with honor. Battousai nodded slightly, bringing his sword down swiftly, beheading her to give her the quickest death possible. Raising his head from the blood-stained sword in his hands, he looked upon a blood-stained girl Her raven hair shone dully despite the lack of light, and creamy white skin shone through the darkness. Her large, emotional blue eyes reminded him of the color of rainwater as it reflected the morning of a sunny day after a storm. They were wide in shock, and her lips were parted slightly as she shakily tried to find words. A stray drop of blood that had fell upon her forehead when her maid was executed streamed down her right temple, over her eyelids, pooled at her eyelashes, then dripped to her mid-cheek, and continued it's stream down the length of her jaw, neck, and came to rest in a bloody stain on her sleeping yukata.

"Come, or I will take you forcibly." Battousai watched as she feebly tried to stand, lost her balance, and sank back to her feet. Under the shock and stress her mind and body were under, the girl collapsed against the wall, her world faded to black as unconsciousness reared its ugly head.

**A/N: Yeah, short chapter. Sorry! This is my first Rurouni Kenshin story, so please tell me if there are any flaws!! And if you like InuYasha, read my other fanfics!!!**

**Kenshin: Well, that was….boring.**

**Harley-chan: shut up! You're supposed to be nice!**

**Sano: Uh-huh, suuuuuure.**

**My imaginary friend Whitney: pulls on Sano's headband Hey, just cuz you're super-tall doesn't mean you can be rude!**

**Harley-chan: That coming from the biggest loudmouthed imaginary friend…**

**Kenshin: You have an imaginary friend? Oro?**

**My imaginary friend Whitney: I am not your imaginary friend! I am real I tell you! REAL!**

**Sano: That's what all imaginary friends say.**

**Kenshin: He has a point there, that he does.**

**My imaginary friend Whitney: GRRRR!**

**Harley-chan: Bwahahaha! BWAHAHAHA!**

**Kenshin, Sano, and My imaginary friend Whitney sneak away**

**Harley-chan: HEY! Where do you think you're going?! I'm the authoress, you can't run away from me! throws various objects**

**Sano: RUN!**

**Kenshin gets hit with InuYasha plushie**

**Kenshin: Oro…gets swirly eyes**

**My imaginary friend Whitney: REVIEW!!!!! Or she'll kill us all!!!**

**Harley-chan: HEY! IT'S MY JOB TO SAY THAT! sweet smile Please review. evil smile Or Sesshoumaru will kill you all!!!!!!!**

**Sesshoumaru appears**

**Sessh: Eh? What is This Sesshoumaru doing here?**

**Harley-chan: Never mind, just be a good Fluffy and threaten all the readers into reviewing.**

**Sessh: confused Okay… Review or die, you imbecilic fools.**

**Harley-chan: Good boy!**


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